Free Falling
by Nirex
Summary: Yoshiya Kiryu always loved high places, even though he didn't understand why at first. Even in death he still did. Oneshot. Yay spoilers! :D Rated T to be safe. R&R please!


**Woot! Second story! :D I'm on a roll. You seriously don't know how much building up of courage it took to force myself to publish these, so PLEASE, have mercy on the noob :P**

**R&R Please! I like hearing other's opinions! :D**

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><p>The first thing Yoshiya Kiryu climbed was his dresser. At the age of seven, it felt like climbing a mountain.<p>

Looking back, Joshua could see how foolish he had been to think like that. Climbing his dresser didn't even compare to the things he had gone off to climb later down the road.

He remembered the rush of adrenaline as he had balanced on the top of his dresser, a triumphant grin playing on his face. He didn't even have to worry about his parents seeing him and yell at him. They were gone on another one of their business trips like usual. There was a baby sitter but she acted like she had _way_ better things to do then make sure he didn't maim himself. Even thinking about her today, Joshua scoffed at how snobby she had been.

At first it was amazing and entertaining to climb the highest furniture in his enormous house. He had even found ways to irritate his babysitter at the same time. After getting multiple water balloons from an 'unknown assailent', she stormed out soaking wet and never came back (his parents had to hire another one). But soon he wasn't finding any excitement in seeing his home from the top of the fridge. So at the age of ten, Yoshiya Kiryu took his climbing outside.

The view was so spectacular the first time from the top of the shed in his well kept yard. His arms and legs were littered with scratches but he had been too caught up in the moment to notice. He was just too invigorated by the view. Maybe that was why he liked high places. There was no one there to bother him. To tell him what to do. He felt like he could rule everything below him. No restrictions. As free as a bird.

Soon, he moved to trees. The view wasn't as good with the branches blocking his sight, but he still felt so much closer to the vibrant blue sky. It didn't even take him too long to adapt to the climbing style of climbing trees. Soon, he was nimbly jumping from branch to branch like a wild animal.

_'Like a free animal more importantly.'_

Then, not even a month later, he met the oddest boy. Joshua was once again perched in his favorite tree, enjoying the view through a small opening in the branches. He felt his heart leap excitedly as the tree swayed with the wind. He was so excited, he almost didn't notice the boy standing silently at the base of the tree.

His orange hair spiked in impossible directions and the head phones around his neck seemed bulky and too large for him.

The boy didn't say anything for a while, just stared up at Joshua with wide blue eyes.

"What are you doing?" He finally called up to Joshua. Joshua blinked. How could the boy not see what he was doing?

"Just enjoying the view," Joshua finally replied as he jumped with precision and grace, easily landing on a lower branch. The boy didn't didn't seem to like his answer -Joshua could only wonder why- but nodded anyways. Joshua paced along the branches, still feeling the after effects of that undescribable rush that he always looked forward to.

"Can I climb up too?" The boy's eyes lit up as he asked. Joshua frowned, wanting to say no. But there was something about boy in his J of the M clothing that intrigued him immensely. So he nodded instead.

"Okay. But be careful!" Joshua giggled as he hopped down to a lower branch so the boy wouldn't have to climb up as high to reach him. The boy looked ecstastic as he pulled himself up on to the lowest branch with mild difficulty. Joshua watched the boy struggle as he clumsily grabbed at branches. Everyone always started out like that. Joshua mused about this as he watched the boy climb up, sometimes calling encouraging comments down to the boy. Soon, he pulled himself on to the thick and sturdy branch Joshua was seated on.

"I did it!" the boy giggled as he swung his legs in front of him. He seemed extremely fascinated by how high they were.

"Good job," Joshua smiled. He subconsciously noted that the boy had numerous scratches all over his arms and legs, like the first he had climbed the shed and the first few trees he had struggled to climb up.

"Do you always climb stuff?" the boy asked as he tugged absentmindedly at his head phones. He didn't seem to notice the scratches.

"Yup. I love the view from up high," Joshua smiled as he swung his legs over the side of the branch, mimicking the boy.

"But aren't you lonely?" Joshua stared at him in surprise and confusion.

"...Lonely?"

"Yeah. You're at the top, looking down at everyone else. But you can't even talk with them. You're like the king. You can only watch everyone else," the boy smiled sadly. Joshua was silent in shock and the realization that he had no clue how he actually felt. He opened his mouth to say something. _Anything. _But the boy cut him off.

"Don't tell me your answer just yet. I want you to think about it then tell me when you know for certain what your answer is." Joshua was completely shocked at the boy's sudden wisdom.

"...Okay," was all Joshua could whisper. The boy grinned at him before hopping down the branches. When his feet were firmly on solid land, he called up to Joshua,

"Thanks!" then he took off down the pathway through the park. Joshua watched him until he finally disappeared behind a building.

"Thanks for what? What did I ever do that deserves a thank you?" Joshua stared at his dangling feet, a mixture of sadness and of disbelief at everything that had just happened swirling in his stomach.

"And you didn't even say what your name was..."

Joshua never did see that boy again. But for the next few years, no matter what he was climbing, he always thought about the boy's question.

Years later, Joshua still asked himself that same question.

"Am I lonely?"

He never interacted with anyone else. He hadn't even seen his parents in almost a year. He didn't even have a babysitter anymore. He was left by himself in his empty house. To him, it felt like he was the only person left in Shibuya.

At the age of fourteen, he still climbed trees and anything else he was still able to climb. But it wasn't really the climbing part that he enjoyed. He got the rush from seeing Shibuya so high up.

So he gave up climbing and turned to the highest building in Shibuya.

So, with some effort, he had gotten on to the roof of the 104 building. The wind swirled all around him, letting his curly silver hair fly everywhere. His violet eyes took in the magnificient sight of Shibuya. He had never felt so alive in his life. He couldn't even resist the urge to wave his arms like a bird. Even fourteen years old, he still had some childish habits that would kick in from time to time. Like how he would find himself twirling his hair like a girl. He would get so frustrated whenever he caught himself doing it. He laughed, letting his voice be swiftly carried away with the wind.

Shibuya looked so perfect from up there on top of the 104 building. Even in death it still seemed so beautiful. But also in death, he learned the answer to the question he had thought about for five years.

He died at the age of fifteen, his parents on the opposite of the world. He never did see it coming.

On December twelfth, while Yoshiya Kiryu was standing on the railing on top of the 104 building, the railing unexpectedly broke.

Joshua couldn't really describe his death. He had lost focus for only a second. The next second he was plummeting to the ground. He hadn't been scared. Because at that moment, as he fell towards the sidewalk, he knew the answer to the question that boy had asked him five years ago.

"I am lonely. I am the Composer after all," was the last thing he said as the sidewalk seemed to swallow him. And then he woke up in the Game.

So many years later, he played the game with his proxy, Neku Sakuraba. Neku seemed weary of him and who could blame him. Even Joshua himself knew he was a prick, but he stopped caring so many years ago. All that mattered to him was the 104 building, looming over all the other buildings. Like a throne. Like _his_ throne.

As Neku slept, Joshua snuck away, not stopping until he was in front of 104.

104 was as crowded as usual, so it was easy for Joshua to blend in with everyone else then disappear in the stairwell that led to the roof.

As he looked over the side, he was assaulted with the familiar rush of adrenaline. He still took care not to step too close to the edge. He didn't fancy the idea of taking a nose dive off the the side again. But he had a feeling if did fall, he'd still enjoy the flight to the concrete below.

"I am lonely. I am the Composer after all," Joshua repeated what he had realized so many years ago.

"Josh," a voice said from behind, shocking him out of his trance.

"Hmm? Oh, Neku," Joshua let out his trademark giggle. Neku glowered at him.

"Why the hell did you come up here?"

Joshua just smirked at him.

"Because arrogant people like high places, Neku."

Neku stared, at a loss of what to say.

"Say, Neku. If I jumped off here right now, what would you do?" Joshua asked nonchalantly, intrigued at what Neku's answer would be. Neku glared at him.

"Are you high? If you did, I'd have to save you. But only because if you were erased I'd die too."

Joshua didn't reply for a moment.

"Thanks, Neku. I'm going to hold you to that."

He stepped up on to the railing.

"What the hell, Josh! You're going to fall!"

"Oh, Neku. I've already fallen before. I'm quite used to it," Joshua laughed. Then, he stepped forward and everything was gone. He began to fall to the ground. Everything blurred at the edges and the wind made his eyes water. He heard Neku's yelling faintly, but Joshua wasn't listening. He laughed, letting his voice be taken away by the wind.

"I just realized, Neku. It's not the view or being up so high that I like. It's the feeling of falling. No one can stop me from falling. Not even you, Neku."

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><p><strong>Heh heh, I wonder who that spiky orange haired boy was o.o we'll never know xD Again, please R&amp;R! I'll shower you with cookies and love if you do :D *totally not bribing*<strong>


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